Electric fence wire insulator for a metal fence post

Abstract

An electric wire fence insulator has a molded plastic body including a post mounting portion surrounding and slidably receiving a vertical T-type metal fence post having vertically spaced projections. The molded body also includes a wire support portion having vertically spaced ears for receiving an electric fence wire, and two lock pins may be integrally molded with the body and may be connected to the body by flexible and twistable link portions of the plastics material. One lock pin extends into a horizontal hole within the mounting portion and between adjacent projections on the post, and the other lock pin extends into a vertical hole within the ears of the wire support portion. The body may include an elongated horizontal arm portion which integrally connects the mounting portion to the wire support portion.

1. An electric fence wire insulator in combination with a vertical metal fence post having vertically spaced projections, said insulator comprising a body of molded electrical insulating material and including a mounting portion defining an opening receiving said fence post, said opening providing for sliding said body vertically on said fence post past said projections, said body also including a wire support portion adapted to receive and support an electric fence wire, and a lock member supported by said body and moveable relative to said body between a released position and a locked position extending between adjacent said projections for positively securing said body at a selected vertical position on said fence post. 
   
   
     2. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said mounting portion of said body surrounds said opening and has a generally uniform wall thickness, and said opening and said fence post each has generally a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration. 
   
   
     3. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said lock member comprises a lock pin supported for generally horizontal movement within a hole in said body between said released and locked positions. 
   
   
     4. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said lock member is integrally connected to said body by a flexible link portion of said material. 
   
   
     5. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said wire support portion of said body comprises vertically spaced ears having substantially vertically aligned holes, and a lock pin extending into said holes. 
   
   
     6. An insulator as defined in  claim 5  wherein said lock pin is integrally connected to said body by a flexible link portion of said material. 
   
   
     7. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said body comprises a horizontally extending elongated arm portion integrally connecting said wire support portion to said mounting portion for positioning the fence wire at a predetermined horizontal distance from said fence post. 
   
   
     8. An insulator as defined in  claim 7  wherein said arm portion has an H-shaped vertical cross-sectional configuration. 
   
   
     9. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said vertical fence post includes a vertical rib portion with laterally projecting opposite vertical flange portions providing said post with generally a T-shape cross-sectional configuration, and said lock member comprises an elongated lock pin extending through a hole within said body generally parallel to said flange portions of said post and between adjacent said projections. 
   
   
     10. An insulator as defined in  claim 1  wherein said body defines a vertical channel extending from said opening for receiving said projections in response to vertically sliding movement of said body on said post, said body defines a hole extending generally horizontally into said channel, and said lock member comprises a releasable lock pin projecting into said hole. 
   
   
     11. An insulator as defined in  claim 10  wherein said lock pin is integrally connected to said body by a flexible and twistable link portion of said material. 
   
   
     12. An electric fence wire insulator in combination with a vertical metal fence post having vertically spaced projections, said insulator comprising a body of molded electrical insulating material and including a mounting portion defining an opening receiving said fence post with said mounting portion surrounding said fence post, said opening providing for sliding said body vertically on said fence post past said projections, said body also including a wire support portion adapted to receive and support an electric fence wire, a removable lock pin extending into a hole within said body and extending between adjacent said projections for positively securing said body at a selected vertical position on said fence post. 
   
   
     13. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said mounting portion of said body has a generally uniform wall thickness, and said opening and said fence post each has generally a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration. 
   
   
     14. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said lock pin is integrally connected to said body by a flexible link portion of said material. 
   
   
     15. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said wire support portion of said body comprises vertically spaced ears having substantially vertically aligned holes, and a second lock pin extending into said holes. 
   
   
     16. An insulator as defined in  claim 15  wherein said second lock pin is integrally connected to said body by a flexible link portion of said material. 
   
   
     17. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said body comprises a horizontally extending elongated arm portion integrally connecting said wire support portion to said mounting portion for positioning the fence wire at a predetermined horizontal distance from said fence post. 
   
   
     18. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said vertical fence post includes a vertical rib portion with laterally projecting opposite vertical flange portions providing said post with generally a T-shape cross-sectional configuration, and said lock pin extends through a generally horizontal hole within said body generally parallel to said flange portions of said post and between adjacent said projections. 
   
   
     19. An insulator as defined in  claim 12  wherein said body defines a vertical channel extending from said opening for receiving said projections in response to vertically sliding movement of said body on said post, said body defines a hole extending generally horizontally into said channel, said lock pin projects into said hole, and said lock pin is integrally connected to said body by a flexible and twistable link portion of said material. 
   
   
     20. An electric fence wire insulator in combination with a vertical metal fence post, said insulator comprising a body of molded electrical insulating material and including a mounting portion defining an opening receiving said fence post with said mounting portion surrounding said fence post, said opening providing for sliding said body vertically on said fence post, said body also including a wire support portion adapted to receive and support an electric fence wire, a removable lock pin supported by said body and extending into a hole within said body to engage said fence post for positively securing said body at a selected vertical position on said fence post, and a flexible link portion of said material integrally connecting said lock pin to said body.